Protective bottle stopper



Aug. 9 1938. E. GREENE PROTECTIVE BOTTLE STOPPER Original Filed July 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVE N TO R Edgar 0% Greene ATTORN EYS 'Aug. 9, 1938. E. GREENE PROTECTIVE BOTTLE STOPPER Original Filed July 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 9, 1938. E. GREENE 2,126,003

PROTECTIVE BOTTLE STOPPER Original Filed July 20, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 QT-I 1 8.6 i

i INVENTOR I 130 4 Y Edye/mrf/r Greene Aug. 9, 1938.

E. GREENE PROTECTIVE BOTTLE STOPPER Original Filed July 20, 1934 Fpgu24. .83 84 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Edge/r Zia Y W4 Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQ E Application July 20, 1934, Serial No. 736,195 Renewed December 7, 1936 8 Claims.

This invention relates to bottle stoppers of the non-refillable type, in which there is a valve casing that is to be positioned within the neck of the bottle, an apertured cover for the valve casing adapted to overlie the mouth of the bottle, and held in assembled relation with the casing, and a skirt member or portion integral with or connected to the cover, which skirt portion is to be spun or otherwise secured to the exterior of the bottle neck below the mouth.

It is an object of the invention to provide a structure in which the parts mentioned above may be formed from sheet metal and assembled at minimum cost.

Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent by reference to the following detailed description read in the light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of a fitment embodying my invention, mainly in central vertical section, but with certain parts in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of still another modification;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the guard member which is a part of the valve train shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in central vertical section, with parts appearing in elevation, illustrating still another modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the stationary guard member which forms apart of the Fig. 5 structure;

Fig. 7 is a View partly in section, partly in elevation, and partly broken away, illustrating the method of applying my invention, for example the Fig. 1 embodiment thereof, to a bottle;

Fig. 8 is a View in central vertical section of a unitary cover piece and skirt forming part of still another embodiment of .the invention;

Fig. 9 is a View in central vertical section, with parts in elevation, illustrating a member adapted to be assembled with the pieces shown in Fig. 8,

45' and also to have interlocking connection with the valve casing shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 10 illustrates, partly in section and partly in elevation, a valve casing which is intended to 55 main cover piece shown in 9;

Fig. 12 is a view partly in section, partly in elevation, and partly broken away, showing how the valve casing and cover piece are interlockingly engaged;

Fig. 13 is a view partly in central vertical section and partly in elevation, showing how the assembly of Fig. 12 is interlocked with the piece shown in Fig. 8 to form the complete fitment;

Fig. 14 is a sectional View with parts appearing in plan taken on the line I 4-! of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view with parts broken away, illustrating another way in which the valve casing may be connected to the inner cover member, and these two connected to the outer cover member and skirt;

Fig. 16 is a View partly in section and partly in elevation, with parts broken away, illustrating a a bottle equipped with a fitment like that shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 1'? is a sectional view taken on the line ll-I'l looking in the direction of the arrows of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a sectional View of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 19 is a plan view looking upwardly into the inner cover member shown in Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a View similar to Fig. 15, but illustrating certain structural modifications;

Fig. 21 is a sectional view taken on the line 2l-2I of Fig. 20 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 22 shows a modification of the connection between the inner and outer cover member illustrated in Fig. 15;

Fig. 23 illustrates another modification of such connection; and

Fig. 24 illustrates in enlarged section a modification of certain parts shown in Fig. 15.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, and first to Fig. 1, I show at It what I may term a combined outside cover and skirt element, ll indicating the outer cover element proper, with an outside spout portion l2 which terminates in a horizontal annular flange 13. l

The part H is provided With a shoulder M, for the purpose hereinafter explained, and outwardly beyond said shoulder is an integral skirt portion l5, which extends downwardly from the shoulder as shown. In cooperative relation with the piece thus far described, is an innercover member I6 which has an annular upstanding flange 11 intended to have press fit engagement in the skirt l5 with the edge of said flange l'lin contact with the shoulder M of flange l l. The member I6 is also provided with a plurality of,

say three, downwardly extending lugs l8 formed by stamping in the metal of member l6, these lugs 18 being separated by arcuate depressions I9 stamped in the metal, and whose function is to facilitate air and liquid flow. The lugs I8 serve to locate the member It with respect to the valve casing hereinafter described. Inwardly of the lugs I 8 and depressions 89 the member 16 is shaped to provide an upwardly extending central pouring spout 22 which terminates in a flange 2| spun or otherwise formed to extend outwardly over the corresponding flange 13 of cover element II.

A valve casing 23 has in general the form of the valve casing shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 592,209, and is provided with a flange 23' extending laterally from the upper open end thereof. 24 indicates the valve seat of this valve casing surrounding an inlet orifice 25, and there are ribs 26 in the valve casing which extend to a point short of the upper open end thereof. 21 indicates the guard, 28 a weight, 29 a valve disc, all of materials and having functions as set forth in my said co-pending application. It will be noted that the lugs l8 extend down into the upper open end of the valve casing and may or may not have press fit engagement with the inner walls of the casing, and that the upper face of the flange 23 of the valve casing is in contact with the lower face of the piece l6, and is of smaller diameter than is the piece [6. 30 indicates a gasket of cork or other suitable material having an overall diameter substantially equal to that of the piece l6, this gasket serving to seal the flange 23 and piece 16 as well as the mouth of the bottle when the fitment is in position on the bottle with valve casing 23 inserted into the mouth and the upper edge of the bottle pressed up against the gasket 30. When the fitment is thus positioned, pressure being applied downwardly upon the shoulder M, the skirt I5 is spun around the exterior of the bottle below the mouth, as indicated for example in Fig. '7, whereby the fitment is held in proper sealed relation to the bottle, in general in the same way as is set forth in my said copending application. The bottle shown in Fig. '7 and marked A has an annular collar B below its mouth, and a bead C around its mouth. The skirt l5 extends over the bead C and is pressed into the groove defined between the bead C and the collar B, the lower edge of the skirt resting against the collar B, the purpose of this arrangement being to make it more difiicult to insert a tool under the edge of the skirt for the purpose of removing the same fraudulently.

The assembled structure shown in Fig. 1 pro vides a hollow cover which outwardly presents the appearance of solidity and is structurally strong so far as liability to collapse of the hollow top is concerned. The pouring aperture in this particular embodiment is to be closed by means of a cork or the like inserted into the orifice 22.

For obvious reasons it is preferred that the metal of the valve casing 23 and of the interior cover member l6 shall lend itself to the various stamping and forming operations necessary in the making of the device, and at the same time, of course, it must be remembered that some metals may not be used where the contents of the bottle would react chemically in an objectionable way. Consequently, I have found it advantageous to make the valve casing, for example, of copper, to which is given a coating of tin, and the inner cover member I6 may be made of similar material and similarly coated. The outer cover member with its depending skirt need only meet the requirement that it may be readily formed into the shape shown in Fig. 1, and that the skirt portion thereof may be spun or otherwise pressed into locking engagement with the exterior of the bottle.

In Fig. 2 the structure is broadly the same, in that there is an interior cover member and an exterior cover member having an integral depending skirt, but the pouring orifice is intended to be closed by a screw cap. In this figure the cover element in general is designated at 35, the outer cover member at 36, while 3'! refers to a shallow continuous thread for a standard screw cap rolled into an upper cylindrical portion of member 36. 38 indicates a horizontally inwardly turned flange at the top of member 36 to provide a seat for the screw cap, and 39 indicates a shoulder on the member 36 corresponding in position and function with the shoulder I4 of Fig. 1. The locking skirt integral with the member 36 is indicated at 40. 4| indicates the inner cover member and it is provided with an annular ofiset 4! to receive the lateral flange or rim 23' of the valve casing 23. 42 indicates an upstanding annular flange on the valve casing 23 corresponding in position and function with the flange I! of Fig. 1. 43 indicates an annular depression or gutter formed in the inner cover member 4i to facilitate the flow of liquid, and there is a' tubular portion 44 which constitutes the pouring orifice of the assembled cover, the exit of this orifice being indicated at 45. It will be noted that the Fig. 2 construction does not include any lugs such as the lugs N3 of Fig. 1. The purpose of these spaced lugs I8 of Fig. 1 is to prevent the guard 2'! from closing the discharge opening 22. The same result is obtained in the Fig. 2 construction by providing the guard 46 in that figure with upwardly extending spaced lugs 47', these lugs extending upwardly beyond the limits of the bafile Wall 41 of the guard. It will be noted that in the assembled relation of Fig. 2, the tubular portion 44 of the inner cover member has its upper end in contact with the under surface adjacent the edge of the inwardly turned flange 38 of the outer cover member.

The materials of the various cover portions and valve casing will be selected in view of their workability and bearing in mind the requirement that the valve casing and the inner cover member, insofar as they may come in contact with the contents of the bottle must not harmfully aifect such contents.

In Fig. 3 the cover member is not hollow as it is in Figs. 1 and 2. In this figure I show the cover element generally at 50, with a tubular spout 5| having its upper outer end rolled over as at 52. The cover member 54] carries an integral downwardly extending skirt 53 and has an annular offset (or it may be an annular groove or recess) to receive and center the rim or flange of the valve casing 23, such offset or recess being of a depth not greater and preferably slightly less than the thickness of the flange, for obvious reasons, and between this offset 54 and the tubular spout 5| it is provided with an annular depression or gutter 55 to facilitate liquid and air flow. In this construction again, the rim or flange of the valve casing is of smaller overall diameter than is the cover 50, so that a gasket 30 is effective to seal the valve casing against the cover and also tov seal the valve casing and .55 of Fig. 3.

the. cover against .the top of the bottle mouth. In this construction again, as in Fig. 2- construction, the cover is notprovided with any spaced lugs to extend down into the valve casing but the guard 46 is provided with spaced upwardly extending lugs 41' which project beyond the baffle wall 41 of the guard.

Referring to :5, the structure is in general similar to that in Fig. '3 except that there is no movable :guard. In Fig. the cover element is indicated generally at'69, having a pouring spout 6i with a turnedjover upper edge 62 and a depending integralskirt 63. There is an annular offsetfi i to receive the rim or flange of the valve shell 65 and also an annular depression or gutter 95, similarin positionand function to the gutter 91 indicates ribs in the valve casing, these ribs again terminating short of the upper end of the valve casing. 68indicates the weight partof the valve train, this weight having a frusto-conical recess 69 in its upper face, with grooves in the wall thereof to prevent adhesion between the weight Y68 and a downward frustoconical projection 12 of a fixed metal guard II, this guard element 1| having an upstanding annular flange I3 which, when the :guard member 1! is inserted into the top of the valve casing as in Fig. 5, has its upper edge flush with the rim or flange of the valve casing. The guard II has a series (three being shown) of pouring openings it formed by punching out the metal guard, the struck-out metal providing individual bafiles 15 to discourage any attempt to insert a wire or the like through the spout BI, in an effort to tamper with the valve disc .29. The valve seat of the valve casing is shown at 16 and the inlet orifice into the valve casing is indicated at I1, while the numeral 18 indicates the projecting pieces between openings 14 connecting the flange I3 with the main body of the stationary guard II.

In the construction shown completely assembled in Fig. 13, there is incorporated a combined outside cover member and skirt (shown separately in Fig. 8), comprising a tube member 8| in which is formed a screw thread 82. At its upper end the tubular member is provided with an inwardly projecting annular horizontal flange 83 terminating at its .inneredge in a downwardly offset shelf 84. The lower end of the tubular member 8i flares as indicated at 81 and at the lower end of the flare 81 there is a shoulder 85 from which depends an integral skirt 86.

For assembly with the piece shown in Fig. 8 there is an interior cover member shown in Fig. 9. and comprising a generally disc-like portion 98 having a peripheral upstanding flange 88.

Imvardly of the flange 88 there is an annular groove 89, which opens downwardly. Inwardly again of the groove 89 there is an upwardly projecting tubular part 92. Between the groove 89 and the tube 92 the metal of the disc is pressed out to form a series of say three downwardly projecting hollow lugs'9I which are spaced apart by means of three arcuate grooves 99 pressed ,up in the metal. The remaining member of the assembly is shown in Fig. and comprises a valve casing 95 which is .in general of the form shown in the preceding figures of the drawings, having a series of ribs 96, an inlet opening 9:1, a valve seat 98, and a laterally extending flange 99; however, the casing differs from those shown in the preceding drawings in the fact that the flange .99 is continued into an upstanding flange Inn. The valve casing and the piece shown in :Fig. 9 are preferably united, the flrststepinsuch union :being indicated in :Fig. .11,.in which the upstanding flange I09 has been entered into the groove 89, with the upper face of flange 99 resting against the lower face of ithe disc 88 between the groove 89 and the lugs 91. ting operation, theparts being held firmly in the Fig. '1 position meantime, the walls constituting the groove 89, with the contained flange I90, are

distorted so that the parts take the position shown at .1 9! in Fig 12, that is tosay, interlocked :beyondthe possibility of being disassembled without destruction or great difficulty. As the next step in the assembly the composite piece shown in Fig. 12 is now introduced into the lower end of the .piece shown in .Fig. 8, the tubular part 92 projecting slightly beyond the flat 83, the flange By a suitable upsetparts is held-against longitudinal movement with respect to the outside cover member in both directions. The valve casing of course will have been supplied with a valve train in general like that described in connection with the description of the other figures in the drawings. However, I have shown in Fig. 13 a guard member 21 provided at its upper end with a dished recess which is everywhere curved, that is devoid of any sharp corners such as may be found in the guards of I other figures of the drawings, and the upstanding :edges of the cavitation at the top of the guard are also curved as shown. A weight 28 and a sealing disc 29 cooperate with this guard in the manner already explained with reference to Fig. 1, for example.

Referring to Fig. 15, there is shown a combined outer cover member and depending skirt having parts in general like those correspondingly numbered in Fig. 8. It will "be noted, however, that between the shoulder 85 and the skirt 86 in Fig. .15 there is an outwardly extending bead I02, which bead interiorly. thereof forms a corresponding groove. Also, referring to Fig. 15, the valve casing 95 is provided with a horizontal flange I93 which is considerably wider than the horizontal flange shown in Fig. 1, for example, so much so that the included diameter of this flange is approximately that of the skirt 8E. The inner cover member includes a tubular spout portion I94, having a preliminarily formed outwardly extending bead I94, and an annular flat portion I95 connected to the spout portion I94 by pressed-out spacinglugs I95 and arcuate depressions I91 which are similar in function to the corresponding parfts'9i1 and 9| of Fig. 13, the lugs I96 going down into the interior of the valve casing 95 and the flat portion H15 overlying the flange I93. As initially for-med, the annular flat portion I95 terminates in a downwardly eXtending flange shown in dotted lines at I98 in Fig. 18, this flange being of considerably less length than the portion I95 from which it depends. In assembling, the lower lugs I06 of the inner cover member are first entered into theopen upper end of the valve casing until the upper face of the flange E93 isin'contact with the lower face of the flat portion I95 of theinner cover member, the flange I 98 at this time extending downwardly as shown in Fig. 18. As the next step, the parts being held together, the flange I08 is bent towards the valve casing, the new position of flange I08 being shown in full lines in Fig. 18. As the next step,.the inner cover member and partially connected valve casing are entered into the lower end of the outer cover member until the upper face of the flat portion I05 of the inner cover member comes into contact with the shoulder 85, the outer periphery of the annular flat portion I05 preferably though not necessarily having a sliding fit within the skirt 86. The parts being now held in this position, the flange I08 (which, as already stated, is in the full line position of Fig. 18) is struck or pressed upwardly towards the under face of flange I03 so that it assumes the position shown in Fig. 15. The result of this operation will be to expand or drive the peripheral portion of the valve-casing-flange and inner cover flange assembly into the groove provided by the bead I 02. The joint thus established is made even more secure when, subsequently, the skirt 3% is spun or pressed upon a bottle.

. As in the case of other figures previously decover members are suitably connected, the connection in Fig. 15 being substantially like that illustrated in Fig. 13. In the modification shown in Fig. 22, the flat 83 at the top of the outer cover member terminates inwardly in a downwardly directed flange 83, and the tubular part 90 of the inner cover member is offset towards the center of the tubular part to provide a vertically extending rabbet 90 in which the flange 83 seats.

In the Fig. 23 modification the tubular part 90 has no offset, but it contacts with the outer vertical surface of the depending flange 83, with its upper edge in contact with the inner face of the flat 83.

If desired, I may insert within the space between the inner and outer cover members, and surrounding the tube I04, a guard piece I09 which rests upon the annular fiat part I05 of the inner cover member. This guard member is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 15 and in full lines in Fig. 18, and its function, of course, is to protect the inner cover member and the valve casing against tampering from the exterior.

In the Fig. 20 embodiment there is an outside cover member, in general like that shown in Fig. 15, with an exteriorly threaded tubular upper portion II provided with an inturned annular flat top III, the inner edge of which is downwardly offset to provide a shelf on which rests an outwardly turned flange I I2 at the outer end of a central pouring tube II3 that is maintained in proper spaced concentric relation to and within the tubular portion IIII by means of an interposed spacing ring H4. This ring H4 has an annular wall II5 closely surrounding and in frictional contact with the outside of upper portion of tube H3, and extending up to and contacting with the under face of the shelf in the flat top III; another annular wall II6 that frictionally engages the inner surface of tubular portion I I0; and a portion III connecting the walls II5 and H6. At the lower end of tubular portion IIIl there is an outwardly extending shoulder H8 and below this a downwardly and outwardly flaring wall I I9 that terminates in another shoulder I20. Below the shoulder I20 and separated from it by a connecting outwardly beaded part I2I, is a skirt I22, corresponding to the skirt, 86 of Fig. 15. Valve casin 95 also is like that .shownin ,Fig. 15, provided with a wide outwardly extending flange I03 at its open upper end, and with pressed in ribs I23 that terminate short of the upper end of the casing. Friction fitted within the open end of the valve casing, above the ends of ribs I23, is the tubular portion I24 of a spacer piece, the tubular portion having its upper end outwardly and upwardly turned at I25 and then downwardly bent at I26, and then outwardly bent at I21, the downwardly bent portion I26 being friction fitted against wall II 9, and the portion I21 being bent around and under the edge of flange I03 of the Valve casing 95. The valve casing contains a valve disk, a weight, and a guard as and having the relations described in connection with Fig. 15 and other figures of the drawings. The guard has a lower portion I28 like that shown in Fig. 15, and a tubular upper portion I29 whose upper end surrounds the lower end. of pouring tube II3, being spaced from the portion I ll of the spacing ring II4, and whose walls above the portion I28 are provided with a plurality of openings I30, through which liquid may pass into the pouring tube and air may pass on its way from the exterior to the interior of the bottle. The exterior of the upper tubular portion I29 is slightly spaced away from the tubular member I24. A weighted ball I3I rests upon the outer edge of tubularportion I29 in the Fig. 20 position of the parts, but when the bottle to which the Fig. 20 assembly has been applied is brought to pouring position the ball rolls along the inclined wall I25 to the dot-and-dash posi-, tion of Fig. 20. In the first named, i. e., the full line position of the ball, any considerable upward movement of the guard, and of course of the other valve parts, is prevented, if for example the bottle is violently shaken in a vertical or substantially vertical direction in an effort to introduce liquid into the bottle from the exterior in a succession of small quantities. In the pouring position of the bottle, however, with the ball in the dot-anddash position of Fig.'20, the guard and other valve parts are unrestrained against movement necessary to uncover the inlet from the bottle to the valve casing, as will be obvious. With this construction, also, the valve disk and weight are well protected against such tampering as might be attempted by the insertion of a wire or the like through the pouring tube II3.

In Fig. 24 the parts are in assembled relation, before application to a bottle, and as they appear before vertical pressure has been applied to shoulder 85 incidental to the spinning of skirt 85 onto the bottle.

In this construction, the flange I03 of the valve casing has an upward bend I03 beyond which the flange continues horizontally. Similarly the part I05 of the inner cover member is upwardly inclined at I05, and these inclined portions I03 and I05 are in contact in the final assembly as shown. When the part I08 is bent around and under the edge portion of flange I03 its lower surface will be preferably in a horizontal plane above the plane of the lower surface of the main part of the flange, i. e., that portion of the flange which lies between the valve casing and the bend I03; at any rate it is contemplated that said lower surface of part I08 shall be in a horizontal plane that is not appreciably below that of the lower surface of the main part of flange I03, the exact relation depending upon the angle and length of the bent part I03. The result of such an arrangement is that when the fitment is subjected to downward vertical pressure the flange is effectively sealed against the gasket 3|], as is also the part I08, the upper surface of the gasket, under the pressure entering into the annular space between the edge of part H38 and the bend I03, and elsewhere being in sealing relation with the under surfaces of part )8 and of the main part of the flange H33. Additionally there will be the seal due to the several close surface contacts between the flange and the interlocked parts of the inner cover member. If the under surface of part I08 were in a plane below that of the flange I03, as it is shown in Fig. 15, there is the possibility that while the part Hi8 may have effective sealing relation with the gasket, the flange itself might not have an effective sealing relation with the gasket; and obviously it is more important that the flange should be eflectively sealed, because otherwise, for example, liquid introduced into the pouring tube under pressure or vacuum might find its way, between the contacting surfaces of inner cover member and easing flange, and between flange and gasket, into the bottle, though at the same time leakage of liquid from the bottle between skirt and bottle might be prevented.

In all forms of invention shown it is to be understood that the ring gasket which seals bottle mouth, valve casing flange and cover is of such inside and outside diameters that its edges have frictional engagement with the inner surface of the fitment skirt (for example 86 in Fig. 24) and the outer wall of the valve casing, thereby to increase the sealing eifect.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by a flange and a bottom provided with a valve seat at the other end, a cover member for the open end of the casing, a skirt portion surrounding and spaced from the casing adapted to be deformed into engagement with the outside of a bottle with which the device is associated, the cover member having spaced pressed hollow lugs extending into the open end of the valve casing, and cavitations also pressed in between said lugs, the valve casing, cover, and skirt each having portions in frictional engagement to hold said members in assembly.

2. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by an upstanding flange spaced from the opening, a cover member for the open end of the casing having an annular groove opening downwardly and receiving said upstanding flange of the casing, the walls of said grooveand of the contained flange adapted to be bent over to interlock the casing and the cover substantially as set forth.

3. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by an upstanding flange spaced from the opening, a cover member for the open end of the casing having an annular groove opening downwardly and receiving said upstanding flange of the casing, the walls of said groove and of the contained flange adapted to be bent over to interlock the casing and the cover substantially as set forth, and an outside cover member including an integral skirt, the skirt being spaced away from the valve casing and friotionally engaged with the first named cover member.

4. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by a horizontal outstanding flange, a cover member for the open end of the casing having a portion bent around the edge of and. under said casing flange, and a combined outer cover member and skirt having a groove receiving the interlocked portions of the casing flange and first named cover member to hold said parts in assembly.

5. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by a horizontal outstanding flange, a cover member for the open end of the casing having a portion bent around the edge of and under said casing flange, and a combined outer cover member and skirt having a groove receiving the interlocked portions of the casing flange and first named cover member to hold said parts in assembly, a filler interposed between the two cover members substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end, an inside cover member having lugs extending into the open end of the casing, an outside cover member interlocked with the valve casing and the first named cover member, and also having a separate interlocking connection with the first named. cover member, the outside cover member carrying an integral skirt spaced away from the valve casing.

'7. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by an outstanding horizontal flange, said flange being provided at a point remote from the valve casing with an upward bend, the said bent portion terminating in a horizontal edge portion that extends in a plane parallel to the first named hori zontal portion, a cover member having an edge portion bent around the edge portion of the flange to lie parallel with the first named horizontal portion of the flange but in a plane that is not lower than the plane of said first named horizontal portion of the flange.

8. In a device of the kind described, a valve casing having an open end surrounded by an outstanding horizontal flange, said flange being provided at a point remote from the valve casing with an upward bend, the said bent portion terminating in a horizontal edge portion that extends in a plane parallel to the first named horizontal portion, a cover member having an edge portion bent around the edge portion of the flange to lie parallel with the first named horizontal portion of the flange but in a plane above that of the first named horizontal portion of the flange.

EDGEWORTI-I GREENE. 

